Brad Zimmerman coming Jan. 19 in ‘My Son the Waiter’

The hilarious Brad Zimmerman brings his unique and original comedic voice to the Alper JCC at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19. He has worked stand-up comedy all over the country doing theatres, clubs and comedy festivals with many well-known entertainers such as Brad Garrett, Dennis Miller and Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm). For over seven years, he has been Joan Rivers’ opening act. Ms. Rivers has said, “I’ve had three great opening acts in my lifetime: Billy Crystal, Garry Shandling, and Brad Zimmerman.”

He also opened for the late George Carlin. In the one-man show, My Son the Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy, Zimmerman combines years as a trained actor and comedian. Zimmerman, who waited tables for 27 years while he tried to make it as a New York actor, brings a warm, poignant and hysterical perspective on his childhood, his family, his misbegotten love life and his career.

Zimmerman uses one of his favorite Oscar Wilde quotes that he says got him through some hard times: “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” With that philosophy, he created a show that is part standup, part theatrical and tells the story of one man’s lengthy struggle to make it as an actor in New York. The show’s subtitle – A Jewish Tragedy – refers to his struggle for many years with little money, few acting jobs and no girlfriend. As he says in the show, his idea of a summer vacation was “turning the fan on to high.”

The energetic comic has performed the show all across the country and recently opened in New York City. In addition, he worked in both television and film, most notably playing Johnny Sack’s lawyer in the iconic television series The Sopranos and in the soap operas Loving and All My Children.

AUTHOR MAGGIE ANTON

Maggie Anton, author of the dramatic trilogy Rashi’s Daughter, discusses the first book in her latest series, Rav-Hisda’s Daughter on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Futernick Art Gallery at the Alper JCC. In the new trilogy, Anton follows Hisdadukh, one of the most frequently mentioned women in the Talmud. The story is set in Third Century Babylon and unfolds as Hisdadukh’s father, his colleagues and their students are creating the sacred Jewish text. It is a novel of love, religion and sorcery.

The Alper JCC Robert Russell Theater is located at 11155 SW 112 Ave. For tickets to My Son the Waiter, call 305-271-9000, ext. 268, or go to www.alperjcc.org. Mention that you read this in the Pincrest Tribune and receive a discount on advance ticket sales.